Bhubaneswar: People of Kulaharipur in Odisha’s Jajpur were on Tuesday night witness to a live fight of two snakes. The hair-raising incident was recorded live by some locals.
In the video, a one foot non-venomous Common Sand Boa was locked in a fight with a much larger 4 feet deadly venomous Spectacled Cobra in Kulaharipur village.
The Common Sand Boa in an attempt to save itself from the Cobra’s bite had coiled it’s tail around the larger reptile’s neck. Held tightly by the Bao, the Cobra could not move.
The panicked locals called Snake Helpline to solve the issue. Pradosh Kumar Jena, a volunteer of Snake Helpline, reached the spot and tried to convince the villages not to disturb the snakes. The villagers, however, warned that if he did not rescue the snakes they would kill the two.
Left with no choice, Pradosh separated the snakes and released then in different locations.
Subhendu Mallik, general secretary of Snake Helpline said “The battle was fierce. It was a breath taking scene. You can see the much larger Cobra unable to move literally due to the enormous pressure produced from the coiling of tail by a much smaller Common Sand Boa”.
In animal world there is survival of fittest. Even though the common sand boa is a non-venomous snake it is known for its aggressive behaviour and fierce strike, added Subhendu.
Although we released the snakes, the Common Sand Boa is likely to die of neurotoxic venom of deadly Cobra due to prolonged bite, said Subhendu.
It’s crazy, but it’s something I saw happening and live, in front of me, said a villager.
In 2018 February the fierce battle of similar nature ended in the death of both the fighters, a venomous king and a non-venomous reticulated Python.